Reversing-valve.



No. 799,499. PATENTBD SEPT. 12, 1905.

. B. SMARTT.

REVERSING VALVE. APPLICATION FILED APB-.15, 1905. 3 SHEBTS BHBM LQwuewboz Br/my 6mm;

No- 799,498. PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905. B. SMARTT.

REVERSING VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED APRJS, 1905.

3 SHBETS-SHEET 2.

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B. SM-ARTT.

REVERSING VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED APB..15, 1905.

N0. 799,498. PATENTBD SEPT. 12, 190-5.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

UNITED STATES BRINAY SMARTT, OF NASHVILLETENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECTAND PATENT OFFICE.

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE SMARTT INVENTING AND MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY,OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION OF TENNESSEE.

REVERSING-VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed April 15, 1905. Serial No. 255,757.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BRINAY SMARTT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reversing-Valves,andIdo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make'and use the same.

The object of my invention is generally the provision of areversing-valve device, designed particularly for locomotive-engines,which shall be simple in construction and eX- ceedingly reliable andpositive in its action.

I do not confine my invention to application with locomotive-engines, asit may be employed in many other kinds of machinery Wherever its use maybe efficacious--such, for instance, as in stationary engines,steamboatengines, steamship engines, war ship engines,automobile-engines, &c.

More specifically, the object is by the employment of mypeculiarly-constructed reversing-valve with a short lever andintermediate connections" to obviate the employment of the usuallink-motion. Thus in a locomotive the operation of my reversingvalvedevice will be exceedingly easy as compared with the customary linkarrangement, as the reversing-valve is with greatest facility and easeoperated by a small lever (which may be about the size of the ordinarythrottle-lever) conveniently located in the locomotive-cab.

By my invention a cumbersome six-foot lever, say, is supplanted by asmall easilyoperated lever, so that at the same time an engineer mayoperate the reversing-valve lever with one hand and the throttle-leverwith the other band.

As a matter of further and specific improvement I so construct thereversing-valve with relation to the other parts of the mech-' anism ofmy device that it may entirely out off the steam from the cylinder whendesired, thus taking the place and performing the function of thethrottle when necessary.

Another object of my invention is by the peculiar construction in pairsof rocker-arms for operating the rods connected to the steam-valves(whereby the said rocker-arms work one within or through the other andshifting the steam-valves in opposite directions, or right and left) tomimimize space and to provide for ready and easy detachment ordisconnection thereof, wherebysone rocker-arm in a pair may be dispensedwith in use, if desired.

With these objects in view and others appearing as the specificationproceeds my invention consists in the novel construction, combination,and arrangement of parts of a device characterized by my invention, aswill be hereinafter fully described in the specification, summed up inthe claims, and illustrated in the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of alocomotive (the top and other portions thereof being broken away)embodying my invention and showing more particularly the arrangement ofthe rockerarms and connecting mechanism for operating the rods connectedto the steam-valves. Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal sectionof the steam-chest and underlying cylinder, displaying the relation ofthe steamvalves and reverse-valve with relation thereto, the uprightflange on top of steam-valve seat being omitted for the sake ofclearness. Fig. 3 is a detached detail perspective View of thesteam-valve seat. Fig. 4 is a detached detail perspective view of thereversing-valve.

Fig. 5 is a view of a= portion of the steam valve. seat and of thesteam-valves thereon, the section being taken at line it Fig. 2, to showchannel on under side of steam-valve. Fig. 6 is a detached perspectiveview, looking at the rear, of a pair of rocker-arms. Fig. 7 is acollective detail view of a pair of rockerarms. Fig. 8 is a detail viewof a form of steam-Valve seat adapted more particularly for cooperationtherewith of a single steamvalve. Fig. 9 is a detail view of a differentform of steam-valve from that shown in Figs. 2 and 5. Fig.10 is'a detailView of the single valve shown in Fig. 9, of the steam-valve seat shownin Fig. 8,'and of the reversingvalve shown in Fig. 4:, showing moreparticularly the cooperation with the single steamvalve of a singlerocker-arm.

In my invention and by my constructions either a pair of steam-valvesand a pair of rocker-arms to operate the same or a single steam-valveand a single rocker-arm to operate the same may be used.

I will first describe the application of my invention in connection witha pair of steamvalves and a pair of rocker-arms cooperating therewith,and for this purpose, referring to the drawings, 1 designates a cylinderwith a piston-head 2 and connected piston-rod 3 working therein. Abovethe cylinder 1 and connected therewith in any suitable manner is asteam-chest 4. In the wall or partition 5, which separates thesteam-chest and underlying cylinder, I form a central exhaust-port 6 andon opposite sides thereof ports 7 and 8, which communicate with passages9 and 10, leading to opposite ends of cylinder 1, all as clearly shownin Fig. 2.

Located in the chest 4 and supported in contact with wall 5 is mypeculiarly-constructed removable steam-valve seat, (designated generallyby 12, Fig. 3,) comprising, preferably, asubstantially oblong-shapedplate 13, having flanges or downturned longitudinal edges 14 14, restingdirectly on wall 5, a cen tral upturned flange 15, (shownin Fig. 3, butomitted in Fig. 2 for the sake of clearness of illustration of otherparts,) and pairs of transverse openings 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21,(constituting two series, one on each side of flange 15,) or each pairof openings, as 16 and 19 one opening of such pair on one side ofupturned flange and the other opening of the pair on the opposite sideof the flangemay be cut to form one elongated slot or opening, as shownin Fig. 8. It will be seen that my valve-seat is entirely separate anddistinct from and unconnected to any part of the device, so that it maybe removed at will, as when it is desired to substitute therefor theform of seat shown in Fig. 8, so that a single steam-valve of the formshown in Fig. 9 may be used. If my valve-seat were formed integral withor permanently connected to some other part of the device, as is usual,this could not be accomplished. The downtu rned flanges subserve thedual function of supporting the plate or seat proper, 13, and of guidingthe reversing-valve, which it inc-loses, as presently described, andsuch peculiar and novel form of steam-valve seat I deem an important,essential, and valuable feature of my invention. Also located in chest 4and supported in contact with wall 5 and working under and guided byflanges 14 14 of steam-valve seat 12 is my pcculiarly-constructedreversing-valve, (designated generally by 22, Fig. 4,) and comprising,preferably, an oblong-shaped plate 23, having alternately -disposed orstaggered transverse openings 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29, these openingsconstituting two series, the transverse openings of one series being outof parallelism with the openings of the other series, all as clearlyshown in Fig. 4. It will thus be noted that when the openings of oneseries on one side of reversing-valve are alined with similar openingson the same side of steam-valve seat 12, the openings of the otherseries on the opposite side of valve-seat are blanked, and vice versa.It will be understood that instead of having the two series of openingsin steam-valve seat 12 in transverse alinement and the two series ofopenings in reversing-valve 22 staggered I may have the series ofopenings in the valve-seat 12 staggered and the series of openings inreversing-valve 22 in transverse alinement, as would be entirelyobvious.

' The openings for passage of steam are so arranged, as shown, that whenthe reversingvalve 22 is at a point in the middle of its range ofmovement from one end of steam-chest to the other all ports are closedor blanked, thus effectively cutting off the steam from cylinder,wherefore my reversing-valve may be used instead and to perform thefunction of the throttle when necessary or desired. This is a mosteminently valuable feature of my invention. By my invention if thethrottlevalve refuses to Work in an emergency of this nature myreversing-valve comes into timely use to stop the engine.

Supported on the valve-seat 12 are two steam-valves 31 32, havingsteam-exhaust channels or passages 31 on their under surfaces, rods 33connecting with the valves, said steam-valves working right and left,changing steam from fore to aft, and being governed by eccentrics ondrive-wheels.

Communicating with steam-chest 4 is inlet steam-pipe 34.

The construction and operation of the rocker-arm, forming an importantfeature of my invention, will now be described.

Connecting by pins 35 with steam-valve rods 33 are a pair of rocker-arms36 37, integral with shanks 38 39, extending at right angles to therocker-arms and passing through boX 42, suitably supported on therunninggear of the engine, the shank 38 being reduced and the shank 39hollow, whereby shank 38 telescopesinto shank 39, one shank thus workingin or through the other. Shank 39 terminates in integralright-angularlyformed crank 40, and the shank 38 is suitably secured toright-angularly-formed crank 41, cranks 40 and 41 being pivotallyconnected to eccentric-rods 48, operated by eccentrics 43 on drive-shaft44. The arrangement just described effects a shifting of thesteam-valves 31 32 in opposite directions, or right and left. Inoperation rocker-arms 36 37 approach and pass each other and continuemoving until each occupies the original starting position from which theother has just moved. The rocker-arms again approach and pass eachother, continuing as before, and so on, thus effecting an alternateshifting of the steamvalves or a shifting thereof in oppositedirections, right and left.

The advantage of my construction of rocker-arms as just described isthat, first, it economizes space, a pair of my rocker-arms occupying thespace usually occupied by one rocker-arm, and, second, it provides for.ready and easy detachment or disconnection.

engineas, for instance, directly under the throttle-lever, not shownandbeing preferably of the same size as the throttle-lever) throughintermediate mechanism, which may be as follows: Reverse-lever 39,through link 41, imparts movement to rocker-shaft 42, pivoted to crank43, rigidly secured to rockershaft 44, suitably journaled insupportingbearings 45 46, the rocker-shaft 44 connecting with crank 47,pivoted to rod 30, controlling reversing-valve 22. Reversing-lever 39may work in an arc-plate 51, which may be provided with three notches,the arc-plate describing the path of movement of the reversing-lever 39,so that when the latter is moved to rest in the middle notch of thearc-plate the reversing-valve 22 will thereby have been moved to a pointabout the middle of its eX- tent of movement from one end of steam-chestto the other, all steam ports being thus blanked, eifectively cuttingofi passage of steam to steam-cylinder. In this manner and by thisconstruction reversingvalve 22 may be used instead of the throttle whenthe latter breaks or refuses to work in any emergency.

In operation the movement of the steam is as follows, supposing that theopenings 24, 25, and 26 in right-hand side of reversingvalve 22 are inregister with corresponding openings 16, 17, and 18 in steam-valve seat12, (see Fig. 2:) Steam enters steam-chest 4 through pipe 34, passingthrough opening 18 in steam-valve seat 12, (in right-hand side thereof,)thence through corresponding opening 26 in reversing-valve 22, thenceinto port 8 in division-wall 5, thence into passage 10, and out into thecylinder 1 at the righthand end thereof, forcing piston-head back orinward to the left-hand end of the cylinder. This movement ofpiston-head forces dead steam through passage 9 and communicatingport7in division-wall 5, thence through opening 24 in reversing-valve 22,into channel 31 on under side of steam-valve '31, to and through port 6,thence into exhaust-chamber 50, connecting with smoke-stack. Theposition of the steam-valve 31 when the steam is taking the course justdescribed is toward left-hand end of steam-chest 4. When the piston headis forced outward, eccentrics change steam-valves, so that the valve 31is moved or pulled outward and valve 32 forced inward, thus changingcourse of steam from fore to aft. Toreverse engine, the engineer pullsreversing-lever 39 from one end of arc-- plate to the other end thereof,whereby the reversing-valve 22 is moved so that openings 16, 17, and 18will be blanked and the openings 27 28, and 29 in reversing-valvebrought into register with openings 19, 20, and 21 of steam-valve seat12, thus reversing the direction of movement of the engine, as isobvious. If the engineer desires to stop the engine Without the use ofthe throttle, as when the throttle breaks or any like emergency, hesimply pulls reversing-lever 39 into the central notch of arc-plate, asdescribed, when all steam ports and openings will be blanked.

Referring to Figs. 8, 9, and 10 of the drawings, I have shown-aslightly-modified form of steam-valve and in the device of which figuresonly one steam-valve is used instead of two and only one rocker-arminstead of two, as before. The steam-valve seat used in connection withthis latter construction may be the same as that designated by 12, Fig.3, except that the central upturned flange 15 is omitted, or it may beformed as shown in Fig. 8 and designated generally by 54, the onlydifference between this form and that shown in Fig. 3 being thatthecentral upturned flange 15 of Fig. 3 is omitted, and the openings arepreferably not in two series, as shown in Fig. 3, but are preferablyelongated, as shown at 55, 56, and 57, (the two series of openings shownin Fig. 3 being thus merged into one series.) The reversing-valve usedin connection with this single steam-valve form is exactly the same asshown in Fig. 4 (designated by 22) and as fully described in connectionwith that figure, and when describing the parts shown in Figs. 8, 9, and10 in connection with the reversing-valve attention is directed back tothe illustration of the reversing-valve in Fig. 4. it will be noted thatwhen openings 24, 25, and 26 of reversing-valve 22 are in register withopenings 55, 56, and 57 of steamvalve seat .54 openings 27, 28, and 29of reversing-valve 22 are out of register with such openings 55, 56, and57 of steam-valve seat, and vice versa. The form of' steamvalve shown inFig. 9 (designated generally by. 58) is made and arranged to occupy thespace used by the two steam-valves shown in Fig. 5. Said steamvalve 58has four staggered openings therethrough, (designated by 59, 60, 61, and62,) so arranged that (assuming openings 24, 25, and 26 ofreversingvalve 22 to be in register with openings 55, 56, and 57 ofsteam-valve seat 54 and openings 27, 28,and 29 of reversing-valve 22therefore out of register with such openings55, 56, and 5-7 ofsteam-valve seat) when opening 60 is in reg ister with opening 57 ofsteam-valve seat all other openings in steam-valve 58 will be blanked,and, vice versa, when opening 59 is,

by means of channel 68 or channel69, pecul,

&

iarly positioned and formed in the lower surface of steam-valve 58.Suppose steam to be entering through opening 60 of steam-valve.

In this position all other openings of steamvalve are blanked, asstated. But one end of exhaust-channel 68 is then in communication withopening 55 of steam-valve seat 54, and consequently with alined opening2& of reversing-valve 22, and escaping dead steam is then coming upthrough opening 2 1 of reversing-valve 22 and through alined opening 55of steam-valve seat, into and through exhaustchannel 68 (one end ofwhich is then in communication with such alined openings 24 and 55) toalined openings 56 and 25 in steamvalve seat and reversing-valve,respectively, whence it escapes through the exhaust-port indivision-wall to exhaust-chamber, as previously explained in connectionwith Figs. 1 to 7. At the next movement of steam-valve 58 steam entersthrough opening 59 thereof and exhausting dead steam is coming upthrough alined openings 26 and 57 in reversing-valve 22 and steam-valveseat 54:, respectively, thence into exhaust-channel 68 of steam-valve58, one end of which in this position of steam-valve is then incommunication with the alined openings 57 and 26 in steam-valve seat andreversing-valve, respectively, to alined openings 56 and 25 insteamvalve seatand reversing-valve, respectively, whence it escapesthrough exhaust-port in division-wall to exhaust-chamber, as previouslyexplained in connection with Figs. 1 to 7. Suppose the reversing-valve22 be moved, placing openings 27, 28, and 29 therein in register withopenings 55, 56, and 57 of steamvalve seat (thereby blanking openings24:, 25, and 26 of reversing-valve) and suppose opening 62 ofsteam-valve to be in register with alined openings 57 and 29 forentrance of steam, (all other openings in steam-valve 58 being therebyblanked.) Steam enters through these registering openings 62, 57, and'29and exhausting dead steam is coming up through alined openings 27 and 55in reversing-valve and steam-valve seat, respectively, intoexhaust-channel 69 (one end of which is then in communication with suchalined openings 55 and 27) to alined or registering openings 56 and 28in steam-valve seat and reversing valve, respectively, whence it escapesinto port in division-wall to exhaust-chamber, as described in connection with Figs. 1 to 7. At the next movement of steam-valve opening 61is in register with alined openings 55 and 27 of steamvalve seat andreversing-valve, respectively, and exhausting dead steam is coming upthrough alined or registering openings 29 and 57 in reversing-valve andsteam-valve seat, respectively, thence into and through channel 69 onlower surface of steam-valve (one end of which exhaust-channel is inthis position of the steam-valve in communication with such alinedopenings 57 and 29) into opening 56 of steam-valve seat, whence itescapes to exhaust port and chamber, as described in connection withFigs. 1 to 7. Only one rocker-arm is necessarily employed with this formof single valve construction, and this rocker-arm 73 is connected up tosteam-valve in the manner described in connection with Figs. 1 to 7.

Various modifications may be made in minor details of constructionwithout affecting the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent. is

1. The combination with a cylinder and a steam-chest, of a removable,unattached steamvalve seat within the steam-chest and formed as a platehaving downturned longitudinal supportingflanges resting on top of thesteam-chest and provided with two port-bearing regions, a normallystationary reversingvalve beneath the valve-seat and inclosed and guidedin its movement by the flanges of said plate, the reversing-valve beingconstructed to expose simultaneously half only of each of saidport-bearing regions and arranged, upon movement, to reverse suchexposure; and a valve mechanism reciprocating on the steamvalve seat andoperating to alternately uncover the exposed halves of the twoport-bearing regions,said mechanism being constructed to cover one halfof each region while the other is uncovered and vice versa.

2. The combination with a cylinder and a steamchest,of a removable,unattached steamvalve seat within the steam-chest and formed as a platehaving downturned longitudinal supporting -.flanges resting on top ofthe steam-chest and provided with two port-bearing regions, a normallystationary reversingvalve beneath the valve-seat and inclosed and guidedin its movement by the flanges of said plate, the reversing-valve beingconstructed to expose simultaneously half only of each of saidport-bearing regions and arranged, upon movement, to reverse suchexposure; and a valve mechanism reciprocating on the steamvalve seat andoperating to alternately uncover the exposed halves of the twoport-bearing regions, said mechanism being constructed to cover one halfof each region while the diagonally opposite half of the other region isuncovered and vice versa.

3. The combination with a cylinder and a steam-chest, of a removable,unattached steamvalve seat within the steam-chest and formed as a platehaving downturned longitudinal supporting-flanges resting on top of thesteamchest and provided with two port-bearing regions, a normallystationary perforated reversing-valve beneath the valve-seat andinclosed and guided in its movement by the flanges of said plate, thereversing-valve being constructed to expose simultaneously half only ofeach of said port-bearing regions and arranged, upon movement, toreverse such exposure; and a valve mechanism reciprocating on thesteam-valve seat and operating to alternately uncover the exposed halvesof the two port-bearing regions, said mechanism being constructed tocover one half of each region While the other is uncovered and viceversa.

4. The combination with a cylinder, and a steam-chest,of aremovable,unattached steamvalve seat within the steam-chest and formedas a plate having downturned longitudinal supporting-flanges resting ontop of the steamchest and provided with two port-bearing regions, anormally stationary reversing-valve beneath the valve-seat and inclosedand guided in its movement by the flanges of said plate and providedwith staggered openings, said reversing-valve being constructed toexpose simultaneously half only of each of said portbearing regions andarranged upon movement to reverse such exposure; and a valve mechanismreciprocating on the steam-valve seat and operating to alternatelyuncover the exposed halves of the two port-bearing regions, saidmechanism being constructed to cover one half of each region while theother is uncovered and vice versa.

5. The combination with a cylinder and a steam-chest, of a removable,unattached steamvalve seat Within the steam-chest and formed as a platehaving downturned longitudinal supporting-flanges resting on top of thesteamchest and provided with two port-bearing regions, a normallystationary reversing-valve beneath the valve-seat and inclosed andguided in its movement by the flanges of said plate, the reversing-valvebeing constructed to expose simultaneously halt' only of each of saidport bearing regions and arranged, upon movement, to reverse suchexposureg-and a valve mechanism reciprocating on the steamvalve seat,channeled for passage of exhausting steam on its under surface, andoperating to alternately uncover the exposed halves of the twoport-bearing regions, said mechanism being constructed to cover one halfof each region while the other is uncovered and vice versa.

6. The combination with a cylinder and steam-chest, of aremovable,unattached steamvalve seat within the steam-chest and providedwith supporting-flanges and with two portbearing regions, a normallystationary reversing-valve beneath said valve-seat and inclosed andguided in its movement by the flanges of said seat,said reversing-valvebeing constructed to expose simultaneously half only of each of saidport-bearing regions and arranged, upon movement, to reverse suchexposure; and a valve mechanism reciprocating on the steam-valve seatand operating to alternately uncover the exposed halves'of the twoportbearing regions, said mechanism being constructed to cover one-halfof each region while the other is uncovered and vice versa.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

BRINAY SMARTT.

Witnesses:

L. HARDING, J. P. minus

